ballsmith



P. CpBALLSMITH. Butt er Gutter and Marker.

No. 230,392. Pat ented July 27,1880;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK O. BALLSMITH, OF ATTIOA, NEW YORK.

BUTTER CUTTER AND MARKER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 230,392, dated July 27, 1880.

Application filed December 15, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK CHRISTIAN BALLSMITH, of Attica, in the county of Wyoming and State of New York, have invented Improvements in Devices for Cutting and Stamping Butter, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a device that will out out pieces or shapes of butter from crooks, tubs, firkins, or other large packages, and at the same time of cutting mark the surface of the butter in lines, grooves, or other designs, so as to present a handsome and uniform appearance for the table; and the invention consists in a handle having two long cuttin g side pieces attach ed thereto, in the end of which is swiveled a knife or other cutting device. Above the knife, in between the side pieces, is set an adjustable roller, in which are formed lines, grooves, or fanciful designs, a1 as hereinafter fully explained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View, showing the whole device; Fig. 2, a side elevation with one of the side pieces removed.

A represents a wooden handle of sufficient length to be grasped by both hands. B B are two metal side pieces attached 'to the base A of the handle, which is flattened at the sides for this purpose. These two metal pieces are flat and smooth on the outside, and inside are beveled down so as to give two cutting-edges, a a, the extreme ends being also beveled and sharpened. In these ends is arranged aknife or cutter, O, that loosely turns on its projecting end pivots, b I), set in holes or bearings in the side pieces. The pivots of the knife are in a line with the cutting-edge, so that this edge will always be presented to the part of the butter to be out, either if pressed downward, pulled toward the person using it, or drawn back or upward.

The knife is formed with a thick back that tapers to the cutting-edge.

It is obvious that a piece of wire set in place of the knife and fastened to the sides would also operate to cut the butter; but I prefer the knife, as it therebygives a sharp edge.

Above the knife, in said sidepieces or frames B, is set a roller, D, either plain, figured, or grooved, which acts also as a gage to determine the thickness of the piece of butter to be out also, as it revolves over the surface of the butter while being cut, it stamps, marks, or impresses therein any figures cut in or on the roller, thereby giving each piece cut out a handsome surface, and which may be repeated on the sides and back, if desired, by running the roller over them. Thus a handsome'square or oblong piece of butter may be cut out of a mass, and without extra hand-work be ready for use on the table, and, by the additional roller, made also ornamental in appearance.

It is usual to get butter out of tubs, &c., by digging it out in lumps with a knife, spoon, or stick, and put it on the table in such shapes, or else it has to be worked over by hand to make it presentable. This-device of mine will do away with any such work, and always out out a piece in such shape as to be immediately presentable for the table.

To graduate the sizes of the pieces of butter to be out out of a given size or weight, the roller D is set higher or lower in the frame B by the holes 0 c in the frames B B, the axle, pin, or pins (1 of the roller being removable for that purpose.

I claiml. In combination with a handle,A,the two FREDERICK O. BALLSMITH.

Witnesses J. R. DRAKE, T. H. PARSONS. 

